The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-27
editorial Brfefs.
By REV. I. M. ATWOOD, D. d.
Canton. N. Y.

The proposal OF DR.. GLADDEN. for a
Bureau Of Exchange to bring into mu-
tual acquaintance parishes that want pas
tors, and pastors who would like another
charge, is the natural suggestion of the
experience of ministers and churches.
The business Of candidating is unpless.
ant and unsatisfying to all parties. To
go and preach and meet the expectant
and critical people, and exhibit himself
with view to his market value, is a pro-
cess from which every self-respecting
minister shrinks. He cannot do it often
without damage to his better SELF The
fact that he is in competition with other
candidates is calculated to put his Justice
and magnanimity to a severer strain than
they are generally able to bear.
Yet we ere not sanguine OF the in
ventlon OF better method. The present
method is sanctioned by long usage in
the Protestant churches. 1t is a very
simple method, and it is the one the
churches Like best. Nor is it apparent how
the ends deemed necessary by almost all
can be reached, except in few instances.
by any other process. If all ministers
were good and capable men, and if all
parishes were intelligent and reasonable.
the ordeal might be escaped and pastor
taken on his record. But if ministers
and congregations were such the changes
would be infrequent and the demand for
an Exchange" would not exist. DIR.
Gladden's plan does not, as we under
stand 1T, do away with the most obiec-
tionable feature OF the existing system
the ordeal of candidating. We fear there
will be no remedy until access of wisdom
and grace removes the principal causes
Of the present evil.
Our sympathy and admiration 90
solidly with those compositors who are
said to infinitely prefer the worst hand
writing to the best machine copy" The
typewriter is convenience witho ut
doubt. for business and office work, but
it Is destructive OF art, and in the long
run will be of literature. It cannot be
but that the best part, the subtle flavor,
OF poem, essay, sermon or letter, will
evaporate in going through the machine.
Type written literature will be to hand
made literature what the chrome is to the
painting and machine carving to real
carving.
AS no one ever becomes great by i'm
itation, SO no one ever becomes original
by efforts to be original. The essence Of
originality is ingenuousness. Affecta-
ton and art put the bogus STAN p on hu-
man coin. 1t matters not in what direc-
ton the artifice runs, it spoils originality.
Aman may affect virtue or vice, delicacy
or rudeness, timidity or bravery, learn
ing or ignorance, it comes to the same re-
suit. Truth in you is pretty sure to lead
to fidelity in your own nature, and to the
trust committed to you in your own indi-
viduality and powers. If there is any
thing of you it will in this way appear; il
there is not, the defect cannot be reme-
died by stage tricks.
The Ancient Order of Foresters does
not want the negro. In England colored
men may be and are members of the or
der; but in this country they never have
been admitted and the "high court" re-
Gently in session in Chicago, decided by
"a unanimous vote" not to open the
doors to the negro. The color prejudice
is stronger in America, it seems, North
as we'll as South, than in any other civ
ilized country. But it is gradually fad
ing out here, and it can only disappear
gradually. 1t cannot be elected by legis-
lation. ALI that can be done-and this
should be done with firm and impartial
hands to punish all acts of injustice OF
discrimination on account of color, by
persons or corporations amenable tn law.
Our neighbor, the Watchmdn, refuses
to see in the action of the pope in the case
of DIR. McGlynn, any purpose to interfere
in American politics. DIR. McGlynn, says
our esteemed contemporaries summon
ed to appear in Rome. He refused to go
and was suspended. That is the whole Of
it. This is looking at the subject on the
surface. We are all familiar with the facts
of the priests quarrel with his archbishop.
We all know that it was DR.. McGlynn's
participation in the Henry George cam
paign that excited the opposition and at
length the ire of Archbishop Corrigan.
We are none OF us ignorant of the fact
that it was the attempt on one side to
dictate what political action should not
be taken, and the steadfast refusal on the
other to accept the dictation, which is
the root and sap of the controversy.
Now as between the opinions of the
priest and those of the archbishop, we
greatly prefer the latter. Politically and
economically, We should be with arch
bishop and pope. But the American
plan is to let each man, whether clergy
man or laymsn, decide for himself what
political and economical ideas he shall
entertain and what political action he
shall take. Let the party journals abuse
him, let the platform orators expose
and denounce him, let his congregation,
if he be minister, refuse to support him,
if they are so inclined. These are the
legitimate effects Of his political prefer
ences and partizanship. But let not any